Spouse’s role in New Mom’s Life
Sonali Sardana*
Psychologist, Tech Mahindra, India
Submission: March 06, 2017, 2017; Published: March 16, 2017
*Corresponding author: Sonali Sardana, Psychologist, Tech Mahindra, India, Tel:+91 9560996249; Email:sonali.sardana@TechMahindra.com
DOI: 10.19080/GJARM.2017.01.555560
Opinion
The news of becoming a “Parent” can bring in mixed feelings of excitement and joy as well as feelings of apprehension about the effect on their lifestyle, and added responsibilities for the “to be Parent”. Entering into the phase of “Parenthood” is an intensive emotional experience for a spouse to handle because the wife goes through intense physical as well as emotional changes during the process of pregnancy and delivery. Fathers may develop attachment with baby gradually as their life goes through this transition. Becoming a father is an important milestone in a man’s life, as he gradually learns, with his wife to negotiate new working arrangements, prepare for different financial situations. This often invites a positive change in the marital relationship as well. Hence support to each other plays a major role in enhancing their relationship. The spouse plays a crucial role in New Mother’s life who can support her in all possible ways. Taking care of the newborn is mentally and physically exhausting wherein both mother and father need to support each other to look after the newborn.
Offering to take care of the child during the night, whenever the child wakes up, will give the mother a chance to a longer undisturbed sleep. A helping hand in shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry can go a long way. An empathetic spouse can try to understand the circumstances of the situation especially when his wife is feeling secluded at home with the primary responsibilities of taking care of the child or while new mother is losing interest in taking care of her baby. His initiative in considering his wife’s challenges and perspectives provides emotional support and relief to the new mother. Experience of these shared quality time gradually help both the spouse to initiate growth and empathy in their marital relationship as well.
Fitting oneself into the “New Father” role is not at all easy, rather it can be quite a challenge for him while coping with these gross changes in their life, especially when his wife is preoccupied with maternity and the new found motherhood. While there are good days and bad days in parenthood; Man’s acknowledgement of the crisis that his wife is going through is a great relief for the new mother. And this can be the beginning of a new journey of cooperation and negotiation between them, to gift their child an emotionally secured future ahead.